Panels from the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt were on display at the Center on Halsted June 27. Photo by Tracy Baim.______
More photos at www.windycitymediagroup.com/NAMESproject
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According to world-renowned AIDS activist Louise Binder, the public healthcare system has failed women, especially when it comes to HIV/AIDS.
On National HIV Testing Day, June 27, Center on Halsted and AIDS Foundation of Chicago held a day-long conference at Center on Halsted that included Binder's rousing presentation, 'Public Health: Is It Good Medicine for Women Impacted by HIV?' Binder hails from Canada, and was the first HIV-positive women to be a keynote speaker at an international AIDS conference.
According to Binder, public health and human rights is at a great divide. 'Public health is good for you and you are going to have to give up all of your human rights to have it,' she said.
One of those potential problems between the principals of public health and the principals of human rights is the issue of voluntary testing versus mandatory testing for HIV. Although she agrees that people should be given the opportunity to know their HIV status, testing should be a voluntary decision. 'In other words, I believe in human rights,' Binder said, adding that if it were any other disease being discussed, this wouldn't even be a debate. It's only a debate, she said, because of the continuing stigmatization of the disease.
The reason she believes in voluntary testing is partially because of the potentially devastating consequences for women when it comes to mandatory testing. For example, some states require partner notification, which can lead to violence, emotional abuse, and even murder when woman's status is disclose. A woman can even suffer abuse from her family, community and employment.
'What public service have we done to these women?' Binder asked the audience. 'Nobody is really winning in this situation, except we ( public health ) can smugly count another head.'
Instead, the decision needs to be made by the woman. 'If you ask people, they will be tested if it's good for them.'
Binder's solution: Require a mandatory offer of HIV testing with comprehensive pre- and post-testing counseling. Also, there should be many anonymous testing sites for people to access. She also suggested that the U.S. needs more comprehensive sexual education, more research for women's prevention methods and ongoing public education to all facts of the population.
According to Binder, people need to keep 'shouting' about these issues. 'I don't intend to wash my hands of these issues, and neither should you,' she said. 'Our agenda is to keep our community alive and well.'
Charlsie Dewey reports on another presentation that was held concerning meth and the gay media. See next page.
